Finding the Beat
by vindictive locomotive
Summary: It all started with a dance. Neither one expected it to turn into something this inescapable. A story of two unlikely boys from completely different backgrounds and their discovery of how they were made to rule the floor...together. SoRiku
1. Prologue

**Finding the Beat**

**It all started with a dance, just one dance at some second-rate club. It was supposed to be just "one of those things". Neither one expected it to turn into something this inescapable. A story of two unlikely boys from completely different backgrounds and their discovery of how they were made to rule the floor…together.**

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Contrary to popular belief, we didn't start out together. All the tabloids gush about how we were best friends since we were in the womb and how we supposedly grew up together on the back streets of LA. We didn't. Because that would just be too cliché. Although one could argue that the _true_ story also fits into that category, but no matter how you want to look at it, it happened.

What "happened" is actually quite the opposite of what the paparazzi likes to feed the public. We were never childhood friends—or sweethearts, depending on your source—in fact, I had never even _seen_ Riku until I was about nineteen. How's that for childhood sweethearts? Yeah, "US Weekly" can go fuck itself.

Which is probably why you're here, you want the true story from at least one of the guys who lived it. The problem is, where do I begin?

I suppose I should start out by explaining that we came from completely different backgrounds, Riku and I. The part about growing up on the back streets of LA is partially true, only that was just me. Though I did have a best friend since I was in the womb—literally—he was my twin, Roxas. We, along with our sister, were practically raised by our older brother and his boyfriend since our parents died when Roxas and I were about five.

The neighborhood that I grew up in was one of those lower-class-but-not-quite-ghetto neighborhoods that are mostly populated by minorities, where everyone knows each other and everyone acts like one big family. Being one of the only white kids in my neighborhood—besides Roxas, who is practically me—kind of made me stand out, but my friends always said that with my tan I could almost pass for a Latino; if it weren't for the fact that my hair was too light and my eyes looked like they belonged on a generic blond Swedish girl.

Bottom line, I grew up with a whole neighborhood for a family and an immediate family with only a dance studio keeping it afloat. Yep, dancing is not only in my blood, it's the family business.

On the opposite side of the spectrum, was Riku. And when I say opposite, I really mean it. While I grew up in downtown LA, Riku was from the Hills, born and raised. We're talking 90210 material, here. His was the kind of neighborhood that sported huge houses, perfectly manicured lawns with hedges separating one from the next, and the only time anyone really talked to anyone was when they were getting their mail or the neighbors leaves were in their pool. As for his "family business", he was expected to become a big-shot lawyer that got paid a lot of money to represent celebrities. Like father, like son.

Yup, an unlikely story if there ever was one, but it's ours. Now that I've laid the groundwork, this story of ours can _really_ begin. So sit down, pop a soda can open and get comfortable, 'cause you're in for one hell of a bumpy ride.

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**So, as stated, this is just the groundwork. This little project of mine is gonna play out sort of like a movie, so I had Sora do one of those "this is my story" type things. Like if you were watching a movie, his voice would be the voice over and a whole bunch of random scenes depicting his childhood would play out before the opening credits. The rest of this story is gonna be told in the third person, because I have a LOT of complicated dance scenes and I feel more comfortable with the rest of it being in the third person anyway. So tell me what you think, the idea for a sexy-hip-hop-style-dance-adversity-fanfic just kind of came to me and I had to do it. Sora just seemed to be the right person for the job. :D**

**Of course I don't own any part of Kingdom Hearts or any of the characters mentioned; all right belong to Square Enix (tragically)**

**Just a quick note: there may be a few MINOR OC's, but that's really just going to be for the purpose of fleshing out the story, nothing really major. I just thought I'd say this because some people have kind of an allergic reaction to OC's, which is totally okay, these are nothing huge, I promise.**

**So tell me what you think and give Giselle, the review button, some company. You know you want to. :D**

**Kisses,**

**~Vindi**


	2. The Family Business

**Finding the Beat — The Family Business**

* * *

Sora groaned as the cursed blaring of his alarm clock pierced his sleep like the dagger it pretended not to be. That stupid sound just adored slicing his dreams every morning at six o' clock sharp _without fail._ It had been _that_ dream, too. The one he could picture vividly in his head day in and day out but would never be able to properly articulate. Damn him and his overactive imagination.

Deciding that there was no way he could avoid the inevitable, Sora reluctantly slid out of his cocoon of blankets that were noticeably about ten degrees warmer than the rest of the room. He sighed dejectedly and padded his way to the bathroom, as if he were on his way to the gallows and not to the sink.

However dead to the world he may have seemed, the second Sora had showered, brushed his teeth and taken a few sips of hot chocolate, his aura had shifted completely. Sora may have adored his sleep, but unlike most people, he adored his job even more.

After getting dressed in the most comfortable clothes he owned—which was pretty hard to do, since everything Sora owned was comfortable—he grabbed his keys and sauntered out the door of his apartment, just barely remembering to lock it. Once Sora was sure he had locked the door, he bounded down the nearby stairs of his apartment complex—an effortless display of his recently shifted aura. Once he had exited the building, Sora practically skipped down his LA street, eager to get to his destination.

No, Sora was not a morning person, (though it may have seemed that way to the untrained eye) he was a dancing person. And that's really what it all boiled down to. In his neighborhood, Sora and dance were synonymous, actually that applied to anyone who belonged to the "Strife Clan" as it was so fondly called. Speaking of his neighborhood, Sora gave a wistful sigh as he turned the corner onto the familiar street; the very one he grew up on.

He grinned as he passed "Cid's Convenience", pausing a little to see if he could catch a glance at the man inside. Sure enough, a short, gruff looking man with a cigarette in his mouth emerged from the store. Upon noticing Sora, he gave a nod of acknowledgement and grunted a greeting.

"Mornin' Sora."

"Morning Cid!" Sora called energetically as he continued on his merry way, giving a little hop-step as he practically bounced down the street. He grinned as he passed a salon and waved to the kind-looking woman inside.

"Good morning, Aerith!" he chirped, without breaking his energetic stride.

"Good morning Sora!" The woman replied with the same amount of friendliness through the open door.

He continued down the street like that, waving and smiling at all the people he'd known practically since birth, never once interrupting the flow of his steps, which had now morphed into some kind of beat in Sora's head. This place was his home, no doubt about it.

If possible, his effervescent grin widened as he neared a particular stone building with a sign jutting out from it that read: Cloud9 Dance Studio. He pushed open the door with a sense of purpose and made his way up the narrow flight of stairs to the second floor. He breathed in the familiar air and closed his eyes before making his way over to the reception area. He leaped over toward the chest-level desk, jumping on his last step just in front of it, keeping his hands out just so as he came down from the jump so that they hit the surface of the desk with a resounding "twack", effectively startling the girl seated behind it. Said girl quickly regained her composure and promptly rested her face in her hands, elbows leaning on the desk and muttered, "Jesus, Sora" just under her breath.

Sora ignored the display of resigned contempt. "Hiya, Yuffie, how ya' doing?"

Yuffie lifted her face from her hands and smiled, all traces of annoyance gone, "Much better Sora, now that you've effectively given me the heart attack I've been desperately craving all morning long."

Sora grinned, "Anything for you, Yuff."

Yuffie kept the small smile and turned her attention to a nearby computer. "So I suppose you're here to clock in." she said it as more of a statement than question as she typed a few things on the keyboard, her eyes trained to the monitor.

Sora leaned forward on the desk and gave an affirmative nod, "Yup, sure am."

Yuffie gave a little laugh and wordlessly pointed to a door to the left of the desk.

Sora nodded and bounded towards it, tossing a "Thanks Yuff!" over his shoulder and barely registering the "No problem Sora." that was called back to him as he entered the room.

His heart warmed as he entered the airy dance studio, the many floor-to-ceiling windows on the right side of the room gave the illusion of looking much larger, not to mention it let in plenty of light. Sora smiled as he spotted his two brothers in the corner to his right, fiddling around with the stereo as per usual. Before making his way over to them, he took in the scene in front of him. A few of the other employees were warming up in front of the large mirrors that dominated the wall opposite the windows. He noticed his little sister, Namine, in the corner, effortlessly practicing a pencil turn. This was his favorite place in the world, and to think, he was getting paid to be here.

He shrugged off his jacket and listlessly tossed it on a nearby hook and made his way over toward his brothers.

"Hey guys." He greeted nonchalantly as he approached the two boys, who were currently absorbed in setting up the CDs. The stereo system was the kind where you could put in seven CDs at a time and go back and forth between them interchangeably; it was a pain getting them all in though.

Cloud, the oldest of the three, didn't turn his attention from the stereo, "Hey, kiddo" he called over his shoulder.

Roxas, Sora's twin, set down the CDs he'd been furiously flipping through and turned to properly greet his brother.

"Hey, Sor. Long time, no see."

Sora grinned, "Yeah I know, I haven't seen you since yesterday." He met Roxas halfway in a brief brotherly hug. Roxas grinned as he pulled away.

"Well, if you hadn't moved a block away for "personal reason" then maybe you wouldn't have to miss me so much."

Sora executed his infamous pout, "Aw, c'mon Rox, you know I like my independence." He replied with mock indignance.

Roxas smirked and crossed his arms, "Funny how you're still within walking distance of the neighborhood you grew up in."

"Geez, Rox, I'm not _that_ independent." Sora replied, rolling his eyes and giving Roxas a playful shove.

At that point, Cloud was finally satisfied with his messing around with the stereo system and turned to acknowledge his brothers. He slung an arm around each of their shoulders, wedging himself between them.

"Alright, kiddies," Cloud began, "we've got a busy day ahead of us so I want you both to go get warmed up. Roxas, you have a class at seven thirty in the studio next door. Sora, you're in here with me today and I'll be going across the hall at around one. Got it? oh, and Sora, don't forget you're coming over for dinner tonight at our apartment."

Sora smiled as he extricated himself from under Cloud's arm.

"Don't worry, Cloud, I wouldn't forget."

Cloud returned the smile and ruffled Sora's hair, "I know."

And with that, Cloud strode away to go help Namine stretch, leaving the twins standing by the stereo. Roxas turned to his brother grinned conspiratorially.

"Ready?"

Sora nodded and held out his fist, initiating their secret handshake, in which they staked each of their fists, crossed their right arm over their left and joined hands in between the two of them, dropped to the floor while simultaneously giving a sort of break dance kick with their left feet, came back up and gave a double high five and linking their fingers together on a double low five. Once they had completed their ritual, Sora smiled.

"Let's dance."

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**And so our story begins…**

**Don't worry, I promise Riku will come in soon, probably the chapter after next. I know it's kind of slow, but it's going to get a little bit faster by the next chapter, some major plot points are going to be introduced. I'm so excited!**

***By the way, for those of you who _haven't _taken dance for seven years of your life, which is not a bad thing if you haven't, a pencil turn is sort of a ballet-jazz move (I say that because it can be either) where the dancer keeps one foot in place and uses the momentum of the other foot to turn in a circle. Think of a compass used to draw a circle, it's that same motion only its applied to a human. I hope that clears up any possible confusion. :D**

**So anyways, I hope those of you who might be reading this enjoyed it. and don't forget to pay Giselle the review button a visit!**

**Kisses,**

**~Vindi**


	3. Fluidity of Motion

**Finding the Beat — Fluidity of Motion**

**NOTICE: In order to get the desired effect of specific portions of this literature, it is suggested by the author and the editors at VindictiveLocomotive Inc. that the dance routine(s) described in this chapter be read with the aid of the following tracks:**

**R.I.P. by 3OH!3**

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Sora was beginning to get impatient. Not terribly so, but he was getting there. It was now nine o' clock, half an hour before his first class arrived, and Sora didn't think he had it in him to wait that much longer. He was thoroughly warmed up, had done his stretch routine three times already _and _helped Yuffie file papers. The only thing left to do was wait.

Sora was currently standing in the center of their main studio, where his class had been scheduled to meet for the day. Sora loved his Friday class, intermediate jazz ages 10-12, they were by far the most energetic bunch of kids Sora had ever met, which made it a blast to instruct them. After about three years of teaching classes, and of course being taught for the other six years, Sora had found that the more energy a class had, the better their dancing was. It made sense, if you came into a class wide-eyed and ready to burn off steam, then you'd be able to perform the steps with that same energy, therefore you'd master them more easily. To Sora's delight, his class exercised that principle perfectly, so they often got done with the actual teaching part early, which left time for Sora to sort of freestyle it and ultimately expand his students' skill.

Hence why Sora was impatient; he had a great routine lined up for them to learn after they learned the necessary steps in the beginning of the class. He glanced at the clock above the door: 9:02. Damn it, why couldn't time just bend to his will?

Since Sora didn't have supernatural control over the universe's driving force, he would just have to submit to the unrewarding confines of the clock. With a dejected sigh, he effortlessly slid to the floor in a front split, once again starting his stretch routine. He pulled himself out of his spilt position and shifted so that his back was to floor and his left leg was pointed toward the ceiling at a ninety degree angle. Lazily, he began pointing and flexing his bare foot, eventually switching to the opposite leg after a suitable amount of reps.

Sora and Roxas were the only two people working at the studio that danced with bare feet. Everyone else—Cloud, Namine, the other employees, and of course the students—all had some kind of footwear. Be it ballet shoes, jazz shoes, tap, point, etc. Sora and his twin had decided at an early age that dancing barefoot was the only way to go. It made them both feel as if their movements were more natural and fluid; to them, shoes were inhibiting, therefore they were the devil to Sora and Roxas.

While Sora was absently thinking this—his mind liked to narrate—he had already finished about half of the routine. He was now on his stomach facing the mirror, preparing to go into a cobra stretch—his absolute favorite position, if he had to pick. As he arched his spine backward and brought his legs toward his forehead in an impressive show of flexibility, he managed another cursory glance at the clock in the reflection of the mirror. He was delighted to discover that it read 9:20. Slowly, so as not to pull a muscle, he lowered his legs to their original position on the floor and brought his chest flush against the floor. He couldn't afford to tear anything, a dancers' body is their most valuable tool. Break it, and they will be rendered useless until such time as they heal.

Once Sora was sure that he had properly ended his stretch, he promptly leapt up from his position on the floor and gracefully scurried over toward the stereo. As a general rule, Sora avoided fussing with the stereo until the clock marked the ten minute period before his class began. That way, he would have at least one worthwhile thing to keep himself busy as his students arrived. Diligently, he set about the routine task of cueing up his tracks and locating the CDs he would need for the next two hours.

He was in the process of substituting Roxas' "Hollywood Undead" CD—so _that's_ where it went—for Nat King Cole, when his first student arrived. A slight boy of about eleven named Steele. He was one of his best students; though Sora didn't like to pick favorites, but he definitely recognized the "spark" certain dancers displayed that cued an experienced eye in to whether or not they were dancing with their whole heart or just their feet.

Sora quickly placed the CD in its proper place and turned slightly to regard Steele, who was over by the hooks near the door a few feet away from Sora. He had hung up his sweathirt and was busy lacing up his shoes.

"Hey, Steele." Sora greeted as he continued to flip through the many CDs on the shelves above the stereo. Years ago, Cloud had taken the time to store the CDs that Sora and Roxas used the most on the lower shelves, in an effort to cater to their, ahem, _height_ issue, as Namine so fondly called it.

Steele, who had finished lacing up his shoes, gracefully leapt to his feet (reminding Sora of his previous contemplation of the "spark") and hopped over to Sora.

"Hey Sor," he replied nonchalantly, hovering by the small table the stereo was placed on, "watcha' doin'?" he asked.

Sora smiled a little and continued to browse the collection of albums as he answered Steele's question.

"Well, right now I'm cueing up our music for today. I was thinking we could do a cool little routine I choreographed to the song Animal by Neon Trees, you know that one?"

Steele nodded absently, "Yeah, I know it. Good song." He idly replaced one of the cases Sora had pulled out in an effort to find the one he was looking for.

"Yeah I was thinking it's the perfect difficulty for your class's skill level. It's not too easy, but it's not impossibly hard, just the right amount of a challenge for you guys." Sora pushed the "next" button on the machine to rotate the CDs, satisfied when he discovered the next one was Annie Ross.

Steele snorted, "Hah, 'impossibly hard'. Like Cloud's 'Lisztomania' routine?"

Sora grinned at the reference to his brother's advanced choreography and shook his head appeasingly.

"Nah, nothing that fancy, I promise." He slid the CD tray shut, not missing the wistful look on Steele's face when he turned to look at him. He gave a lopsided smile and ruffled Steele's shaggy blond hair affectionately.

"Hey, don't look so star-struck, kiddo. There's no doubt in my mind that in a few years from now, you'll be able to dance like that."

Steele gaped at Sora, a wide-eyed look of awe on his face.

"You really think so?"

"Totally," Sora confirmed, "you're one of the best dancers in this class. Trust me, someday it'll just come easy to you and you won't even have to think about it."

Sora's gaze shifted his gaze to the door as a few more kids trickled in. He shared a look with Steele before dropping his voice level so only Steele could hear and muttered, "But you didn't hear that from me, okay?"

Steele grinned and gave a mock salute as he scurried off to greet the other students.

After the last few kids had shuffled in, Sora gave the stereo table a quick once-over and briefly turned to look out the glass window/wall that made up half the corner he was in. By this time of day, most of LA's residents were out and about, keeping appointments at tanning salons and commuting to the beach a few miles away. He looked beyond the shabby buildings and thought if he squinted _just_ right he could almost make out Beverly Hills. Sora had never really been to the Hills, but he knew enough as a resident of LA, and California in general, that the 90210 zip code was considered the ultimate badge of success. Instant bragging rights were bestowed upon anyone with a claim to the mere string of five numbers.

He shook his head with slight disapproval—of what, he didn't know exactly—and turned to regard his students, about nine in all, and decided that this was all the success he needed. He shook his shoulders a little and strode into the middle of the room, facing the mirrors.

"All right guys, great to see you're all here. Find a space on the floor and we'll start with some stretches."

* * *

An hour and a half later, after a very productive lesson, Sora decided that he would give his young charges a well-deserved break before class ended.

As they were all sitting around in a small circle, Sora was telling them about the recital that Cloud9 held at the local community center every summer that was to be held the following month.

"So I think you guys are definitely gonna rock the show, no doubt about it." Sora paused to look around the circle, "All we need is an idea for a routine."

He nodded as a one of the girls raised her hand. "Yes, Shelly?"

"Are you gonna be up there with us, Sora?" she asked, somewhat timidly. Sora couldn't help but smile fondly.

"Nope, this is all you guys. Don't be nervous; believe me when I say that I've taught you well." He gave a goofy grin at the group and they all shared a little laugh.

"So anyway, I'm not gonna be up there with you guys, but the instructors do participate in the recital, so I'll be doing my own routine."

"Why don't you show us some moves, So-ra?" Said a voice to Sora's left as he was nudged in the side.

Sora rolled his eyes and turned to his sister Namine, who had joined their group about half an hour earlier while she waited for Yuna, the ballet instructor, to show up. She had a coy smirk on her face and her blue eyes reflected a challenge.

Before Sora could protest, the other kids pounced on Namine's suggestion like dogs on a piece of meat, the way Sora supposed Namine had expected them to. He was inundated with verbal requests and pleas in a record 1.5 nanoseconds. "Please, Sora?" "Yeah, come on Sora!" and "Show us!" was all Sora heard for the next minute or so. He sighed, it was pointless to fight it, Namine had let loose the hounds of hell and there was no stopping them.

Okay, maybe that was an exaggeration, but still, it fit the description…to an extent.

"Alright, fine, I guess I could give you guys a little preview." He braced himself for the inevitable cheers and hoots and stood his ground through the suffocating hugs he was attacked with shortly thereafter. After extricating himself from his miniature captors, he stood.

"Alright, alright, calm down," Sora placated good-naturedly as he padded to center of the room. He gave a pointed look to his sister. "Nam, will you do the honors?"

She nodded and swiftly got up to ready the music. "You want the 3OH!3 CD, right?" She asked over her shoulder as she pulled a CD from the shelf.

Sora nodded, "Yup, track five: 'R.I.P.'"

Namine dutifully complied with his request and hovered a slender finger over the play button, "Whenever you're ready."

Sora nodded and shook himself out, something he always did before he danced for other people. He took a few breaths to find his happy medium before telling Namine he was ready.

He got into his starting position: facing the mirror with his upper body bent over so that it was almost hugging his legs, feet a few inches apart, fingertips just barely brushing against the cherry wood floor. He soon heard the hypnotic pulsating of the music, and pulled himself up at a steady pace, separating his feet just a little.

_This town,  
Used to be a pretty place to stay_

As the music shifted with the singer having started the lyrics, Sora sharply turned his to the left on the second beat of "this town". Swinging his leg in a circular motion toward his left foot, he used the momentum to turn his body 180 degrees, once facing the opposite direction he dropped his body to the floor for a beat, coming back up with his body leaning toward his right and his left leg sticking out, heel on the floor so his foot was pointed off the ground. He did this all in one fluid motion.

_A place you'd stop off on the highway_

His body did a half turn at the start of the second line of lyrics and his hips swayed sharply, hitting each beat.

_But all of those things,  
Changed on the day  
You packed up your bags and you ran away_

He raised his right hand skyward on "all" and then his left on "changed", he jumped and crossed and uncrossed his feet before doing a front flip to his right.

_All they say,  
Is how you've changed  
Everyday,  
I stay the same_

Directly after finishing his flip, he slid to floor on one knee, swiftly dragging himself right back up again. He then crossed left foot over his right into a brief grapevine step, his left foot gracefully trailing behind him as he leaned slightly backward in its direction on the last step, while at the same time the back of his right hand was carelessly tossed over his forehead, so that it created the illusion of fainting. Staying on the beat, he did a reverse grapevine to the right, matching the three beats of "everyday". He punched the air in front of him with his right arm toward his left side, doing the same with his left toward his right, so they made a cris-crossing motion, each fist landing on one of the two beats for "I stay". Shifting a little, he threw his arms down to his sides, palms rigid in a karate-chop motion so that they framed his body on the beats of "the same".

_So you can keep the necklace that I gave to you,  
I'll keep the shitty tattoos_

Sora did a 360 degree turn—kind of like a pirouette only more manly, he reasoned—and quickly dropped down into a front split, pulling himself up to his feet just as quickly. He popped his chest outward and tossed his right arm directly to side of him at a ninety degree angle, doing the same with his left on each of the two beats of "I'll keep". He circled his hips a little and put his arms down, soon raising his right arm to cross over his chest and tap his left shoulder for barely a second before tossing it downward and slightly away from his body, almost like he was covering and uncovering an imaginary tattoo on his chest.

_I can see it from the other side  
The grass isn't always as green,  
The house is burnt to ashes  
I'm no longer in between  
R.I.P., R.I.P., you, and me_

Here came Sora's favorite part. He made like he was going to do a front flip, but instead executed a break dance sort of move where he was supporting his body in the air on one hand for a brief second or two. He came down on the opposite side of where he started and went into a summer salt that ended with him one knee. He pulled himself up effortlessly and made a beheading motion with his finger across his neck that hit the three beats of the first "R.I.P." his head lolling to the side on the third beat with his eyes closed in a mock demonstration of being dead. He placed his left hand over his heart and clenched it into a fist before punching it directly out in front of him. Dropping to his knees with his left fist still pointing outward, he fell over to his left side on his back while tucking his fist into his chest. Sora repeated this sequence as the chorus was as well, with a few minor differences, like the fact that he did it with opposite hands and feet, so as to cover a different expanse of the floor.

_I count,  
The empty bottles up on the bar,  
But I give up, I can't count that far  
And the lights in this place,  
Are too dim to see,  
They're kicking me out,  
It's a quarter past three_

_They tell me,  
You're all I've got,  
I just need  
These dreams to stop  
You can keep the necklace that I gave to you,  
I'll keep the shitty tattoos_

Sora kept a fluidity of motion that was hypnotic to watch, not that Sora would have noticed the entranced look that graced each of the faces of his audience anyway, he was too far gone to register anything but the floor beneath his feet. His every action hit and built off each beat expertly, in a way that the eyes of the beholder would be able to subconsciously match with the sound of the music, the end result being an image that was aesthetically pleasing on some kind of unnamable spiritual level. Sora made it clear with every step, swing and pulse of his body that this was what he lived for. Remember that spark he mentioned before? His was a steady flame that matched the tempo of the music.

_In the back of the car,  
On the way to your home,  
In the pouring rain,  
On the side of the road,  
In the light of the street,  
In the recline of the seat,  
You told me I should move on_

Namine watched as her older brother executed a perfect backflip and her chest swelled with pride. In a family of dancers, Sora was by far the most passionate. But he didn't take himself too seriously, he allowed himself to show that he was having the time of his life, unlike Cloud, who kept a noticeable stoic expression the whole time danced. Namine had met dancers who were amazing, but carried far too much pride and a far too defensive attitude; not her brother, Sora wasn't stuck up about his dancing. Ever. Well, none of the Strifes were, and they all danced really well, but Sora just…moved. He made his movements and walking down the street seem synonymous with each other. It was natural on a whole other level.

The lyrics ended and a dreamy sequence of pulsating techno notes trickled onward, to which Sora moved his body in the same way they sounded, touching the floor and then the sky in the same instant. He would probably want to strangle her if she ever said so out loud, but Sora was simply beautiful when he danced.

Directly on the last note, Sora tossed his head to the side in an imitation of how he had started the dance, ending with his back to the audience.

There was a moment of awed silence as the small audience processed what they had just seen. After a few beats, they all started clapping at once. It was then that Sora turned to face the group seated in the corner by the stereo; he gave a theatrical bow and joined them on the floor, flashing his trademark grin.

"So, whadja think?" he asked conversationally, as if he had hardly done anything more than walk across the room and back. Which, for Sora, he probably hadn't.

Immediately after his question was asked, Sora was drowned in a chorus comprised of "That was amazing!", "How do you _do_ that?", "You are so good!" and the like. He smiled sheepishly and stood up.

"Thanks guys, but remember: you do not repeat a word of what you see here, the employee routines are supposed to be kept secret until the night of the recital. Namine: don't tell Cloud." Sora commanded.

Namine giggled, "Don't worry, Sora, I won't tell." She smiled her pretty smile that made her look ten instead of fifteen-going-on-sixteen. Sora's heart melted and he patted her head gently. He'd learned a few years ago when Namine was old enough to start obsessing over her appearance, not to ruffle her hair, doing so would result in the perpetrator getting shoved through the nearest window. Luckily for Sora, it had been Roxas who learned the hard way and not him.

He cast a brief glance out the window on the door and noticed a couple parents waiting patiently outside in the waiting area. He dismissed his class after reminding them of next week's scheduled time. When every child had left, he sat down next to his sister, back leaning against the window. They sat there for a while, until Namine broke the comfortable silence between them.

"So, I hope you know that you are a phenomenal dancer." She informed him, though it was more of a reminder than informatory statement.

Sora smiled. "Thanks, Nams. That means a lot coming from you."

Namine laughed in spite of herself. "Why? You're the better dancer." She pointed out.

Sora gave her a skeptical look, "I don't know about that, but you're my sister, everything you say means a lot to me."

Namine, overcome with sudden emotion, pulled her brother into an affectionate hug and they exchanged I love you's like the close siblings they were. When they pulled away, Namine continued.

"Anyway, I think you really have a shot at becoming famous, or something." She paused as she regarded Sora's expression, "Oh don't give me that look, accept it: you're talented, and you're gonna go places with it. End of story. As I was saying, you could get famous and I, your oh-so amazing, resourceful—not to mention, gorgeous—sister, have found a way for you to do that."

Sora raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Oh? And what might that be your gorgeousness?"

Namine shifted her position and dug around in the pockets of her sweatpants. Eventually, she produced a folded up piece of paper. She carefully unfolded it to reveal what looked to be a promotional poster for some kind of event. When he realized what it was, Sora's skeptical look changed to one of warning.

"Oh no, don't tell me it's—

"It is." Namine deadpanned with a triumphant smile. "The annual Kingdom dance competition is being held in a few weeks. I think you should sign up for a slot."

Sora groaned and shielded his eyes with one hand. "Nams, it's _pairs_. You're too young, Cloud's too old, and while Roxas is the best person I dance with, my style of dance isn't his specialty and vice versa."

Namine shrugged. "So? You can hold auditions for a dance partner; I know you'll find someone."

He gave a tiny smile, "There's no stopping you, is there?"

She shook her head, "Nope."

Her brother chuckled and gently shook his head. Namine patted his knee and handed him the poster.

"Sign-ups are next week, just think about it until then, okay?"

Sora nodded, "Okay. Thanks Nam."

Namine smiled and stood up. "Anytime." She called over her shoulder as she reached the door.

When she was gone Sora looked down at the poster in his hand and sighed wistfully. He turned his body to look out the window; his eyes once again gravitating to the spot where he thought he could see the Hills. Absently, he lifted his finger to the window and traced the outline, memorizing it.

"Maybe I _do_ need something more than this." He whispered to himself. With one last look at the poster, he stood up to get ready for his next class.

* * *

**Soooo…whatdya think? I especially need critique on the part where I described the dance. I need help finding a comfortable method of description that works for the majority of the people reading this. Tell me what you thought, too repetitive, generic, choppy…give me some feedback if you please.**

**Anyways…I smell a plot point! Oh yes, it's finally starting to have a direction! W00t!**

**So please review, Giselle will be handing out cookies and juice at the review table!**

**(By the way, don't tell anyone, but "appeasingly" isn't actually a word. XD)**

**Kisses,**

**~Vindi**


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